Author Topic: Pavel's feta #1  (Read 4508 times)

justsocat

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Pavel's feta #1
« on: January 25, 2010, 05:32:57 PM »
I want to share some results of my first attempt to make brine preserved cheese. Though it is actually not brain preserved :)
I used common method for making feta cheese. But after brine bath i placed the cheese in the mixture of olive and sunflower oil and let it sit there at room temperature (appr 21 C) for 6 days. Than i moved it into fridge with 10 C temp for 24 hrs and today cut it open.
I'm very pleased with the result. Structure is firm and a bit crumbly. Texture can be seen at picture below. Sharp taste with sour note that i like. Everything turned out well except flavour, that is weaker than i want it to be.

Alex

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Re: Pavel's feta #1
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2010, 05:52:24 PM »
To get a stronger flavor, I think you have to age the cheese in brine 30-60 days. Keeping in oil/oil mixture is a kind of preserving not ageing.

Tea

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Re: Pavel's feta #1
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2010, 08:12:22 PM »
Did you also add lipase?  Last time I made fetta I added more lipase than usual, and it definately benefited from the addition. I agree with Alex, in regards to the oil preserving rather than aging.  Next time you put them in an oil bath, add some herb, garlic, pepper, and chili.  Will certainly add flavour.

Cheese Head

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Re: Pavel's feta #1
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2010, 11:54:31 PM »
Pavel, looks great, nice surface texture ;D.

Agree with Tea, if using cow's milk then you have to have Lipase.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Pavel's feta #1
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2010, 12:43:05 AM »
Nice looking cheese Pavel!

Offline Lennie

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Re: Pavel's feta #1
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2010, 01:44:29 AM »
Well done Pavel.  Texture looks something like my recent feta, I'm letting mine age for awhile to let it get proper flavor.  I concluded that mine needed more cooking/stirring time to let the pH get lower.  I don't suppose you measured pH of brine before draining?  Oil may preserve but surely a week at room temp would enable some ripening.

justsocat

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Re: Pavel's feta #1
« Reply #6 on: January 26, 2010, 02:26:13 AM »
Alex
I understand that longer aging should add flavour. But as far as i know from my chemical education there are none benefits for enzyme reactions in Na Cl brain. May be i'm wrong and some microbiological processes are taking place when the cheese is in brain for sufficient time? I don't like very salty feta that was in brain for a long time even when soaked before use. And i tried to avoid that saltiness.
Tracey
I didn't add lipase. May be next time i add some herbs. Thank you.
John
I do like that surface texture too! :) The picture was taken at the network that i used as a cheesecloth. And it imprints nicely.
Deby
Thank you.
Lennie
You are right i didn't measure pH. But i promice to do it next time :) And as you admitted a week at high temp enabled some ripening. That is why i did it.



FarmerJd

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Re: Pavel's feta #1
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2010, 02:37:37 AM »
Nice presentation, Pavel. Great job! I guess I am going to have to make a feta one day.

justsocat

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Re: Pavel's feta #1
« Reply #8 on: January 26, 2010, 02:46:08 AM »
Farmer
That was real fun to make feta. Try and i'm sure you'll like it :)

Tea

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Re: Pavel's feta #1
« Reply #9 on: January 26, 2010, 08:44:49 PM »
Pavel, fetta really needs lipase.  You will be amazed at the difference.

Offline Lennie

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Re: Pavel's feta #1
« Reply #10 on: January 26, 2010, 10:33:10 PM »
Does lipase continue to work over the course of days, or is all the enzyme activity happening during the warming of the milk?  I suppose the flavor is generated from production of free fatty acids from triglycerides?  The sharpness and funky flavor is due to the fatty acids?

I doubt the enzyme would work in the brine too, not a hospitable environment for a bacterium or an enzyme.  My guess is that it works on the milk in the beginning, and possibly on the curd.

justsocat

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Re: Pavel's feta #1
« Reply #11 on: February 06, 2010, 03:56:40 AM »
Tracey, I added to oil equal parts of dried basil, paprika and garlic. The result was amazing! Thank you again for advise :) Now i'm satisfied with feta completely. I still don't like an idea to use a lipase. I'd better try it with goat or sheep milk next time. As soon as i get an access to those milks :)

Alex

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Re: Pavel's feta #1
« Reply #12 on: February 06, 2010, 08:12:52 AM »
Alex
I understand that longer aging should add flavour. But as far as i know from my chemical education there are none benefits for enzyme reactions in Na Cl brain. May be i'm wrong and some microbiological processes are taking place when the cheese is in brain for sufficient time? I don't like very salty feta that was in brain for a long time even when soaked before use. And i tried to avoid that saltiness.
Tracey
I didn't add lipase. May be next time i add some herbs. Thank you.
John
I do like that surface texture too! :) The picture was taken at the network that i used as a cheesecloth. And it imprints nicely.
Deby
Thank you.
Lennie
You are right i didn't measure pH. But i promice to do it next time :) And as you admitted a week at high temp enabled some ripening. That is why i did it.

I have the Fetta recipe from the class I took about cheese makeing. It says not to salt the curds at all. After draining in dripping basket, I sprinkle kosher salt all over the cheese and put it back into the basket for another 24 hours at room temperature flipping several times. Now you can transfer the cheese to saturated brine for 2-3 weeks @ 15 C or 4 weeks @ 4 C(regular fridge). You can age even for 8 weeks. I prefer my Fetta after 8 weeks.

justsocat

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Re: Pavel's feta #1
« Reply #13 on: February 06, 2010, 02:11:10 PM »
Many thanks for the tip Alex! That confirms supposition i had before starting the feta. Every chemical reaction goes according to "van't Hoff's rule" that says: "When temperature rises for 10 degrees the speed of every chemical reaction increases by 2-4 times". Now i'm quite sure general laws work worldwide ;D
I held my first 1.6 kg (appr 4 lb) batch of feta in saturated brain after draining  for 24 hrs and it's saltiness appeared to be fine for me. When i made it longer next time the cheese was as salty as store bought one. And i preffer less salty feta.

Tea

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Re: Pavel's feta #1
« Reply #14 on: February 07, 2010, 08:48:57 PM »
Not sure if I have said this before, but I don't add salt at all, except for the brine.